Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Mar 14: As Assembly elections are fast approaching, political parties are busy identifying winning candidates to be fielded from various constituencies and throwing them into the electoral fray.

Mangaluru Legislative Assembly constituency is a strong fortress of the Congress represented by its sitting MLA U T Khader. He has continued to dominate the constituency during the elections from 2008 to 2018.

In this constituency, minority votes are considered to be the deciding factor in the election results. Though the ruling BJP had made desperate efforts to wrest Mangaluru constituency into its fold, the party has failed in many attempts in the past.

Now, eyeing the Muslim votes SDPI has decided to field Riyaz Faringipete into the electorak fray from the constituency. Riyaz Farangipete is an active worker of the SDPI. He came into the limelight through provocative speeches and with his rheotoric political speeches.

In a special interview with Daijiworld 24x7's countdown programme hosted by Chethan Shetty, Riyaz Farangipete openly shares his views on being a candidate for the Mangaluru Legislative Assembly constituency from SDPI.

DW: After having asked BJP and Sangha Parivar for the brawl through dialogue 'Thantre Ba Thant', now you have announced your eagerness to contest elections against U T Khader from the Mangaluru Assembly constituency?

Riyaz: We are ready to challenge the fascists. Amidst them, there are some people who are in guise of the secular agenda. Even my words will not even affect them. So, personally, we cannot do anything.

DW: Are you telling that there is no difference between U T Khader and Sangha Parivar's ideology?

Riyaz: At present, there is not much of a difference between Congress's and Sangha Parivar's ideology. They are acting as two faces of the same coin. Especially in Ullal, the opposition BJP should have exposed the corruption. In recent elections, BJP remained neutral and supported the Congress. The internal adjustment between BJP and Congress is getting proven.

DW: Riyaz Faringepete is being projected as a candidate for the Mangaluru assembly constituency. But, are there formulators behind you?

Riyaz: We are working on the basis of cadre and ideology. There is no king or kingmaker in the party. The party workers will take a decision. Even the executive committee is being formed by the party workers.

DW: Does Riyaz plan to contest from the Mangaluru assembly constituency?

Riyaz: As per the decision of the party workers, the executive committee has taken the decision to field me from Ullal. I have never submitted any application to the party or to the state committee aspiring to be a candidate from Ullal constituency.

DW: Party workers are claiming that if the candidate from SDPI withdraws his candidature from the fray in the last minute they will boycott the elections. Is it true?

Riyaz: Party workers are speaking so because they are confident that I will not withdraw from the fray.

DW: Are they speaking out of suspicion?

Riyaz: Party workers do not have any kind of suspicion. Riyaz Faringepete will contest elections 100% from the Mangaluru constituency in the year 2023.

DW: Has the BJP helped you on a few occasions?

Riyaz: I have no necessity to take help from the BJP. We are working and fighting elections under our ideology.

DW: NIA arrived at your residence. Later they had arrested party workers in connection to a case in Patna. On whose order NIA does such things?

Riyaz: NIA is an independent body. Even I was probed for 9 hours. They have carried all my documents. After they were confident that I have no role in the case, I was allowed to go. I never asked for any help from BJP or any leaders.

DW: Only the party workers go behind the bars but not the leader. Even in SDPI isn’t it the same?

Riyaz: Already NIA arrested leaders like the National secretary of SDPI Shaafi Belerae, Iqbal Bellare, a state committee member, and Abbas Keny.

To watch the detailed interview, click: